A 20-building resort could replace this Hilton Head racquet club

A new resort could be coming to Hilton Head’s north side.

HH Island Acquisition Partners LLC, a South Carolina company, proposes to construct a “signature destination resort” to replace The Port Royal Racquet Club along Folly Field Road, according to application materials submitted this week by Wood + Partners Inc., a land planning and landscape architecture firm based on Hilton Head.

A new tennis complex is planned at the racquet club’s main campus on the island, a club official said Friday.

The proposed development, currently named the “Port Royal Bluegreen Resort,” would be operated by Bluegreen Vacations, a Florida-based timeshare company, documents show. The proposal includes 20 two-story residential structures with each containing four three-bedroom units, for a total of 80 units.

The application states the three-bedroom units could have “lock-outs.” Lock-outs divide housing units into two or more by locking or sealing a door shut. The issue of lock-outs has been controversial in recent years in the South Forest Beach Drive area on the island’s south end, where some condominium owners have subdivided their properties into longer-term, relatively cheaper-rent units.

Judy Nash Timmer, a senior planner for the town, said the proposed development will be on the agenda of the town’s next pre-application meeting, which is scheduled for July 17. At those meetings, developers typically outline their initial plans and receive feedback from town staff on whether their proposals comply with town ordinances.

The planned resort would happen in two phases, according to the application. The first will include constructing a clubhouse, pool and 11 residential structures. The second phase would develop the remaining residential structures.

The plan includes a maintenance and laundry facility, and an amenity center, which would include a main lobby and small pool courtyard. There also will be walking paths and common areas that will connect with the town’s bike path, plans show.

On-site parking will have no more than 126 spaces, in accordance with town code, according to application materials. Plans also call for bike parking and an electric vehicle charging station, according to application materials.

The development would incorporate “island character” into the architecture throughout the property, and the scope of the structures would be “appropriate in relation to the surrounding neighborhood,” according to the application.

The Folly Field area was rezoned — over some residents’ concerns — to resort development in 2015. In April, the Town Council passed an ordinance allowing lock-outs in timeshares. Teri Lewis, the town’s land management ordinance official, said that Bluegreen Vacations was one of the companies supporting the change.

Contacted Friday, Rick Shoemaker, director of operations for Heritage Golf Collection on Hilton Head Island, said the Port Royal Racquet Club property has been sold and that the new owner is leasing the property back to the company for now.

Shoemaker said the goal is to have no interruption with tennis throughout the process of constructing a resort. A new tennis complex with eight tennis courts and two pickleball courts is planned for the club’s main campus on Clubhouse Drive off Coggins Point Road, he said.

The current racquet club has 14 courts, according to the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club’s website.

This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 3:37 PM with the headline "A 20-building resort could replace this Hilton Head racquet club."